success for maoist campaign against Salwa Judum 2

Anti-Maoist event postponed due to Naxal threat
Salwa Judum offshoot Vikas Sangharsh Samiti will have to wait to unveil its first mega event so as not to put villagers at risk. The first mega event of Vikas Sangharsh Samiti, an anti-Maoist group formed by the leaders of erstwhile anti-Maoist militia Salwa Judum, has been postponed due to the “Naxal threat” and “indifference” from the Congress party. “We have received inputs that the Maoists are threatening people against participating in our anti-Maoist movement. We can’t afford to put the villagers at risk so we have decided to postpone the first mega event that was slated to take place in Faraspal village of Dantewada on the second death anniversary of my father,” Salwa Judum founder Mahendra Karma’s son and VSS convener Chhavindra Karma told The Hindu. However, preparations are being made for a big event at Faraspal on May 25 and all the Judum leaders from different parts of Bastar will be present during the event, said a Judum leader. “People will gather in Faraspal on May 25 in remembrance of my father on his death anniversary. He was a popular leader in Bastar with a large mass following. But the event has got nothing to do with our Samiti,” said Mr.Karma.

Sources in Chhattisgarh Congress said Chhavindra Karma was called to Raipur two days ago by senior State Congress leaders, who expressed their “apprehensions” over his initiative. State Congress president Bhupesh Baghel, senior leader T.S.Singh Deo and Ajit Jogi have already announced that the Congress party would not support Mr. Karma’s initiative. The announcement of the formation of VSS, which is being perceived as the second edition of Salwa Judum earlier this month, met with criticism from rights groups, political parties and activists. The Maoists also threatened “violent backlash” and appealed to the people of Bastar to oppose Chhavindra Karma’s initiative.